This part of the interview is all about Levi and his plans for the future … with the focus on his upcoming nude pictorial for Playgirl. Levi explains why he is dropping trou for the publication (and he will be showing it all … that means P33N people!) and explains that he is willing to do what it takes to care for his family since he has become the sole money maker for his family since his mother was incarcerated for selling prescription drugs. Hey, a guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do. Johnston also reveals more dirt on Sarah Palin, including his claim that Palin tried to get Johnston and her daughter Bristol to hide their pregnancy so that she could adopt the baby herself. Yikes! After the jump, watch Part 2 of Johnston’s interview on The Early Show and read what Sarah Palin has to say in response to his latest claims about her …

Levi Johnston says he’s keeping some “huge” things about Sarah Palin from the public. In Part One of a two-part exclusive interview with “Early Show” co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez, which aired Wednesday, the father of Palin’s grandson says, “There are some things that I have that are huge. And I haven’t said them because I’m not gonna hurt her that way. ” … I have things that can, you know — that would get her in trouble, and could hurt her. Will hurt her. But I’m not gonna go that far. You know, I mean, if I really wanted to hurt her, I could, very easily. But there’s — I’m not gonna do it. I’m not going that far.” Johnston says he’s referring to things Palin did while she was governor of Alaska. Asked whether those actions were illegal or immoral, he refused to elaborate. Johnston also told Rodriguez he’s been hearing a lot about his saying in a recent first-person tell-all in Vanity Fair magazine that Palin routinely referred to her baby, Trig, who suffers from Down syndrome, as “retarded.” “I was just in shock for the first time I heard it,” Johnston recalled for Rodriguez. “And then she’d say it regularly. And I think she was joking, but it doesn’t make it right.” Still, Johnston remarked to Rodriguez, “Those are just little … things I put in Vanity Fair. You know, all the big things I got, I’m keeping — you know, I’m keeping them in, and — you know, it’s just something that probably will never come out.” He added that he’s “sure Sarah’s got something … coming for me,” perhaps in her soon-to-be-released memoir, but, “I’m not worried about her saying anything about me. I’ve really never done anything bad. I don’t have anything to hide. So she can go on and say what she wants.” Johnston stood by his contention in Vanity Fair that Sarah and Todd Palin would not only regularly talk about divorce — they’d do it in front of their children, adding to Rodriguez, “I’m sure it really hurt their kids, you know. I didn’t like it. I wasn’t even their kid.” Spokespeople for the Palins deny the divorce assertion. Johnston told Rodriguez Palin’s daughter, Bristol Palin, the mother of his son, Tripp, did most of the mothering of Trig, because Sarah and Todd weren’t around much. Now an aspiring actor and model, Johnston is going for the ultimate exposure — in an upcoming issue of Playgirl magazine. He told Rodriguez the Playgirl spread will be done “tastefully,” saying, “I’m not gonna just go out there and get naked.” He expands on that in Part Two of the interview, which airs Thursday. The interview with Rodriguez is the latest in a he-said-she-said battle with the Palin family. Johnston burst onto the public stage at the Republican National Convention in August, the handsome boyfriend of vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s pregnant daughter. After the Republicans lost the election, Johnston and Bristol broke up. She had his baby in December. But he says the Palins shut him out of their lives. And that’s when the battle began, each side accusing the other of lying.

Now, because Johnston and Palin have been embroiled in a war of words you have to take what each side says with a huge grain of salt … that being said, if Palin really is guilty of “playfully” calling her child “my retarded baby” then I am truly disgusted. Considering that Johnston was pulled into the Palin household after he got Bristol pregs (in an effort to keep better media control of his person) it makes sense that he would be privy to some very embarrassing and damaging things about the family. Tho, the fact that he’s pimping his upcoming nude pictorial for Playgirl in the process does take a bit of weight away from his claims. After the jump, watch video of Part 1 of Levi’s Early Show interview and judge for yourselves …

Amid rumors that Mariah *may* be pregs with her first child (with hubby Nick Cannon), Mimi was gracious enough to grant the wish of … a hug. I understand all the little girl wanted was to meet and hug Mariah Carey … which is just too sweet for words. I understand that the lucky little girl was also showered with gifts … but I have so much respect for celebs who participate in campaigns by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. I love Mariah Carey … seeing her do stuff like this only makes me love her more.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

Michael Phelps is enjoying some downtime after his historic performance at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. The champion swimmer won more gold medals at one Olympics, eight, than anyone ever had, surpassing the mark of seven set by fellow American swimmer Mark Spitz. Phelps also set seven world records in Beijing, and has 16 Olympic medals in all, 14 of them gold. Phelps just got back to the United States, and says the attention he’s getting, while expected, is still surprising. “It’s kind of strange,” he told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez on The Early Show plaza Thursday — as soon as we walked off of the plane, people were doing double-takes. It’s kind of fun to watch people’s reactions. But I’m enjoying every minute along the way, and I’m just having fun.” Phelps says he’s “just trying to take it all in and remember every experience I’ve had.” He says in his blog that he couldn’t wait to be on the plane home from overseas and just relax. And, he told Rodriguez, he’s had “a little R&R here and there, but I think, over the next month-and-a-half, I’ll be able to settle down a little bit more and hopefully get settled in my new place and have some downtime.” And that includes no workouts for awhile. Phelps already has his sights set on the Games in London in four years, but says he won’t be training “for the next few months. Just taking some time off. Actually, I haven’t exercised at all since my last day of competition (over a week ago). But I think I need to start doing something. I’m getting kind of antsy just sitting around!” Phelps says all that’s happened hasn’t really hit him yet: “In Beijing, I had to really focus on one event at a time. And once that event was done, I had to put it behind me. That’s just sort of where my mind frame was during the meet. And once it was over, I don’t think everything has really set in, but I think, over the next few months and years, I think it really will set in, and I’m proud of everything that I’ve done and I’m happy I had this opportunity” … Phelps was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated with all eight of his gold medals around his neck, in a shot reminiscent of the one of Mark Spitz on the cover of the same magazine after Spitz’ Olympic wins. And Phelps says of the shot, “The medals are a little crooked, but it’s a cool shot. When I first was taking it, I had never had them all on at once, and I never realized how heavy it was. But it was a fun picture, and I’m glad I was able to take it like that. It looks pretty cool, I think” … Phelps wouldn’t tell Rodriguez whether he’s seeing anyone at the moment, saying he wants to keep that part of his life private.

Awww, there is something really endearing in Phelps’s geeky, awkwardness. That boy is all teeth and ears … oh, and Gold Medals. And don’t you just love that he’s keepin’ mum on his private life? Clearly he doesn’t want to fuel the flames of goss that has been going on since THESE photos came out. He is such a tease. Additionally, it has been announced that Michael Phelps will be the host of the season premiere of Saturday Night Live:

Michael Phelps is continuing his dominance out of the water — he’ll host the season premiere of Saturday Night Live on September 13, NBC announced Wednesday. Rapper Lil Wayne will join the Olympic swimmer — who won eight gold medals in Beijing — as musical guest. Phelps, 23, will also be a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Monday. Last week, Phelps landed a book deal for his memoir, titled Built to Succeed.

Even in his downtime, Phelpsie is still keepin’ bizzy. He’s great. I can’t wait to see him on SNL. Do we think he’ll manage to pull it off?

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]